Wall assembling device



Dec. 30, 1969 J. s. GUILLON 3,486,287

WALL ASSEMBLING DEVICE Filed April so,v 1968 use/W 2 Sheets-Sheet l fi V"- llll I INVENTOR.

Dec. 30, 1969 5, GUILLON 3,486,287

WALL ASSEMBLING DEVICE Filed April 30, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A 770/7110. KS.

3,486,287 WALL ASSEMBLING DEVICE Jacques S. Guillon, Westmount, Quebec, Canada, as-

signor to Massey-Ferguson Industries Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Apr. 30, 1968, Ser. No. 725,473

Claims priority, application Canada, Sept. 23, 1967,

000,835 Int. Cl. E04b 2/ 78 US. Cl. 52495 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wall assembling device with which wall sections can be erected in any desired arrangement between vertical posts. The posts are firmly but removably affixed between floor and ceiling of a room and each wall section is firmly but removably attached at each vertical edge to a post by means of a detachable holding structure. The detachable holding structure includes upper and lower attachment means. The upper attachment means having two plates with at least one plate with semicylindrical shell portions.

The basic concept of the lower part of the holding structure is disclosed per se in my Patent No. 3,351,313 of Nov. 7, 1967. Only the upper portion of the holding structure which is dilferent from the one set forth in the said patent is the object of the instant invention. Also set forth here is a combination of the previously disclosed holding means with the holding means described below for the special purpose of providing a wall assembling device.

It has been proposed to support shelves, walls or furniture parts by menas of removable or adjustable holding structures. These devices cannot be collapsed easily and as a rule are not separable into posts, wall portions and holding structures, with both assembly and disassembly being easily accomplished.

In order to provide a wall assembling device in which any desired number of posts can be used with a plurality of wall sections of optional length or height, the present device uses extensible vertical posts, preferably of the pole lamp type, which are removably affixed to floor and ceiling in co-operation with removable and vertically extensible holding structures which carry the wall sections at the vertical edges thereof. The structure allows: quick and easy assembling of all components, the use of single or superimposed wall sections of different height or length, extension of the device by addition of further posts and wall sections, and collapsing of the structure in toto or in part without great effort and elaborate means.

A further characteristic of the invention is the appearance of the finished wall. By using the improved holding means for the wall and by providing the wall sections with slots known as mortises, the wall sections are attached so closely to the posts that there are neither substantial gaps between post and wall edge, unless such gaps are desired, nor any protruding parts of the holding means. This feature allows the erection of walls which do not have the appearance of a temporary but look like a permanent wall structure.

nited States Patent ICC Since the slots or mortises at the edges of the wall sections weaken those edges, particularly when the walls are constructed of wood which is the preferable material therefor, it is necessary for the sake of a firm and durable holding eifect to reinforce those slots.

It has been found that U-shaped metal inserts which are bonded to the inside of the mortises serve this purpose best. Not only do they give the wall sections rigidity and strength in the otherwise weakened portions but they also can be arranged in such a manner that a suitable seat for the holding means is formed.

Such a seat gains particular importance when the attachment means of the invention which extend laterally from the post are interconnected by screw and nut means, since each holder comprises two plates. The most practical manner of joining the plates are a screw and a nut protruding on both sides from the structure. By arranging this interconnection near the outer end of the holding means, the U-shaped metal insert in the wood section can be kept just short enough to leave a free space in the mortise accommodating the fastening means in each pair of holder plates. This seating creates a rattlefree fit of the walls, thereby contributing to a construction which is as rigid as a permanent wall for all practical purposes.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the wall assembling device with portions of the posts and wall sections broken off for greater clarity;

FIG. 2 is a section along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a portion of a vertical post with the upper and lower portion of a wall section, wherein the lower holding structure is inserted in the post and the upper holding structure is inserted in the wall section.

FIG. 1 illustrates part of a wall assembling device. Two vertical post members 12a and 1222 are shown in connection with wall sections 10a, b, c, d and e. As FIGS. 2

and 3 show in cross-section, each post member 12 has longitudinal grooves 18 extending the full length of the post. The grooves 18 have projecting edges 20 at the groove entrance into the post which reduce the width of the grooves 18 at the post surface. The grooves 18 are substantially circular in cross section, but may be of any other suitable cross section, and are set diagonally opposite each other at any suitable radial spacing, preferably at degrees. Such a 90-degree arrangement provides four vertical grooves 18 in each post member 12, which groove arrangement allows the formation of walls at right angles.

Post 12a in FIG. 1 shows an extensible insert 14 with an end piece 16a at the upper portion of the post. The floor engaging end piece 16!) is shown at the lower end of the post 12a. By adjusting the post insert 14 to the height of the room in which wall sections are to be established, and by fixing the insert in the post at that height, for example by spring means inside the post urging the insert outwardly, each post is held firmly between floor and ceiling. By upper and lower floor and ceiling engagement, respectively, with the aid of the post insert means it is obvious that the insert 14 can be used either at the top (as shown in FIG. 1) or at the bottom of each post, or one such insert each can be used at both ends.

While post 12a in FIG. 1 carries only two wall sections a and 1012, post member 12b holds four wall sections 10b, c, d and e at each of its four sides. The sections 10 can either extend along a portion of the posts only or along the full length of each post member 12. It is also possible to insert several wall sections in superimposed arrangement which sections are vertically spaced from each other or are in vertical juxtaposition.

FIG. 2 shows how the plates 24a and 24b forming the lower holding means 27 between a post 12 and two wall sections 10 are attached to the post and in engagement with the sections. The principle of the holding means in the post is the object of my aforenoted Patent No. 3,351,- 313. The lower holding structure 27 which comprises two plates 24a and 24b serves as a supporting bracket for the lower portion of each wall section 10. Each plate 24 is provided with a marginal edge that is shaped as a vertical semi-cylindrical shell 25. The shells 25, when the plates 24a and 24b are brought into face to face contact, define a cylindrical shell, the outer diameter of which is substantially the same as that of the inner part of each longitudinal groove 18.

The two co-operating plates 24a and 2417 which have coinciding apertures 32 near their straight ends can be pressed together by means of a screw and nut 28 and 30, respectively, extending through said apertures 32. This joining of the plates takes place after insertion of the semicircular shells 25 into the post groove 18. Upon pressing together the plates 24a and 24b, the projecting edges 20 of the post groove 18 serve as fulcrums for the plates to establish a firm frictional grip of the shells 25 in the groove 18. This grip is sufficient to hold a wall section 10 in place when it is set onto the joint plates 24a, 2412 so as to engage the plates with a slot provided at the end of its lower edge.

To attain a firm lower connection between the lower attachment means 27 and the lower slot 11 of the wall section 10 and to reinforce the corners of the wall sections, a U-shaped metal insert 34 is placed into the slot 11 and fixed therein by any suitable bonding agent. This U-shaped metal insert 34 extends horizontally and only partially into the slot 11 so that the screw and nut means 28, 30 which hold the plates 24a, 24b together, are beyond the metal insert 34 so as to engage the Walls of the slot 11 with the outside of screw and nut and the ends of the metal insert 34 with the vertical sides thereof.

With the lower attachment means 27 providing a firm support for the wall section 10 to sit on, the upper attachmens means 29 must be constructed in such a manner that they can be easily inserted into the upper slot 11 provided in each wall section 10. This upper attachment means 29 is shown in FIG. 3 and the upper portion of FIG. 4. One-half of it consists of a plate 24 shaped exactly like each of the plates 24a and 24b as used in the lower attachment means 27. However, the other portion of the upper attachment means 29 is a plate member 36 without a semicylindrical end. Both ends of the plate member 36 are straight as is shown in FIG. 3 and the upper portion of FIG. 4.

Just as in the lower attachment means 27 the plate 24 and the plate 36 are joined by a nut and bolt assembly 28, 30. As FIG. 3 shows, the combination of the semicylindrical end 25 with the straight end of the plate 36 forms a portion which is unsuitable for assuming a frictional grip inside the groove 18 but is nevertheless engagingly inserted therein so that it cannot slip out sideways. This means that the juxtaposed end portions of plate 24 and 36 can he slid into the groove 18 from above so as to engage the groove 18 in the post 12, and the free ends of the plates 24, 36 are inserted into the upper slot 11 of the respective wall section.

It is obviou t at the upper holding structure functions as a stabilizing means rather than a holding means. While each wall section sits on the lower holding structure 17 it is prevented from falling sideways by the upper holding structure 29.

FIG. 4 shows how the assembly of the device is accomplished. The wall section 10 is ready to be placed onto the lower holding means 27 consisting of plates 24a and 24b. Thereafter the upper plate 24 which is identical with the plates 24a and 24b is joined with the straight plate 36 and the unit is inserted from above into the post groove 18 and the upper slot 11 in the wall section 10.

The unique combination of a firm lower attachment means and of vertically slidable upper attachment means allows quick and easy installation of any desired number of wall section 10 into grooves 18 of a plurality of vertical posts 12. Disassembling of this device is just as easy in that the upper plate combination 24, 36 can be slid out upwardly whereupon each wall section 10 can be lifted out of the lower attachment means 27. The plates 24a and 24b of this lower attachment means can be removed from the groove 18 simply by taking off screw and nut 28, 30 thus collapsing the entire wall assembling device and separating it into posts, plates and wall sections.

I claim:

1. In a wall assembling device having at least two vertical posts, a wall section attached between two posts. each of said posts having a plurality of vertical grooves and said wall section having horizontally extending slots at the lower and upper end of each vertical edge, said slots being open at the horizontal lower and upper ends of the wall section, the combination comprising lower attachment means having two plates of identical length and shape, each of said plates being provided with a semicylindrical shell portion at one end thereof, fastening means for pressing said plates together in face-to-face contact, with said shells seated in said groove so as to attain holding friction between the semi-cylindrical shells and the post groove, and upper attachment means having one plate with a semi-cylindrical shell portion at one end thereof and one plate being straight at both ends, fastening means for joining said plates, said upper attachment means being vertically slidably engaged in the post groove with the shell portion end and inserted into the upper slot of the wall section with the straight end, thus forming a stabilizer for a wall section seated on the lower attachment means.

2. A wall assembling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein U-shaped metal inserts are attached in said slots of the wall section.

3. A wall assembling device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said slots in the Wall section extend inwardly horizontally beyond the U-shaped pieces so as to form a seat for the fastening means between the plates of the attachment means.

4. A wall assembling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each vertical post has four grooves spaced degrees from each other.

5. A wall assembling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each vertical post has an interior hollow insert means being slidably held in said hollow, said post insert means allowing extension of the post insert means relative to the post for engaging the ends of post and post insert means with ceiling and floor, respectively, and means for fixing the post and insert means in a floor and ceiling engaging position.

6. A wall assembling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plates have coinciding apertures and said fastening means are seated in said apertures.

7. In a wall assembling device having at least two vertical posts, a wall section between two posts, each of said posts having vertical groove means, and said wall section having horizontally extending slots at the lower and upper end of each vertical edge, said slots being open at the horizontal lower and upper ends of the Wall section, and lower attaq ment means clamped into said groove means so as to be held therein by frictional holding force, said lower attachment means projecting laterally from each post and engaging the lower slot of a Wall section, the improvement comprising upper attachment means having one plate With a semi-cylindrical shell portion at one end thereof and one plate being straight at both ends, said plates being joined together, said upper attachment means being vertically slidably engaged in the groove means with the shell-portion end and inserted in the upper slot of a Wall section with the straight end, thus forming a stabilizer 10 for a Wall section seated on the lower attachment means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 830,232 9/1906 Jordan 248246 2,677,519 5/1954 Hobson 248-125 JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 52239, 282 

